SavvySugar

Find the Tastiest, Cheapest Food While Traveling Anywhere

SavvySugar — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:30:14 -0700

Exploring new cities means exploring new food, and it's a glorious part of traveling. A limited budget doesn't mean your options are equally constrained, it just means you need to know where to look for cheap and delicious eats.
Money magazine has some helpful, universal tips for anyone who's hungry in a strange place and doesn't want to spend a fortune.

Money instructs tourists to "Head for hard-to-find spots that are patronized mainly by locals. . . . Don't know any residents? Ask your hotel bellman where he eats."
Ethnic food is usually a good bet. Money explains, "Ethnic restaurants serve customers who are both discerning and price-sensitive. The larger a given immigrant group in an area, the higher the quality of food tends to be."
Aim for areas with competition. For example, "If you're traveling where there's a large Vietnamese neighborhood, say, make a beeline there for dinner and you can't go wrong."

Source: Flickr User Annie Mole

7 Small Ways to Save Big When You Eat Out

SavvySugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:30:19 -0700

People are definitely eating differently thanks to the recession. But cutting food costs doesn't mean you still can't enjoy eating out. Tough times for consumers means empty tables at restaurants - and to fill them, restaurants are making menu changes and slashing prices, or offering discounts. Just take a look at how you can save on your next meal out.

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Reader Tip: Stock Up Your Pantry For Winter

SavvySugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:00:30 -0700

Over time we each develop a unique saving style, which is why I appreciate the Thrifty Tips - Getting The Most Out of Life group in the SavvySugar Community. It offers a place for you to preach your tips to other SavvySugar readers trying to turn a little into a lot and learn from fellow savers.

Beachwalker shares her seasonal saving suggestion:

I love buying fresh from the market in season. It is a delicious and inexpensive source of fruit and veggies. Before Winter I like to stock up on niblets of corn, peaches and pineapple tidbits when there is a sale. (They have to be less than half price.) Frozen, I like peas and mixed vegetables, as well as blueberries when they are on sale.

After stocking up on seasonal goodies some shoppers even can fruits and put them in the pantry to enjoy later. Have a thrifty tip to share? Join the Thrifty Tips - Getting The Most Out of Life group in the SavvySugar Community and preach!

Fun Fall To-Do: Go Pick Your Own Produce

SavvySugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:15:27 -0700

I'll miss my beloved Summer tomatoes, but there's a plethora of Fall produce to scoop up at the store. Better yet, celebrate Autumn by taking day trips to pick-your-own orchards where you can spend the day outside selecting your own goodies. Apple orchards and pumpkin patches are easiest to come by, but depending on where you live, there may be corn mazes that allow you to wander among the corn rows.

Find apple orchards in your area that invite you to pick your own by scouring the list on PickYourOwn.org and pick a pumpkin patch by checking out Pumpkinpatchesandmore.org. Be aware: this season might be busier than most. Kathy McKay, spokeswoman for the North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association explained, "Because of the whole staycation-daycation thing, a lot of our members are saying business has been good."

Have you ever visited a place where you could pick your own?

Your Two Cents: Is There a Cupcake Bubble?

SavvySugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:15:57 -0700

Here at Sugar HQ we're crazy about Kara's Cupcakes, but it seems everyone has their preferred cupcake supplier. From Sprinkles, Crumbs, and Magnolia to the smaller businesses that bake up delicious minicakes with fluffy icing, stores that profit from a cupcake craze have popped up like frozen yogurt shops over the past few years.

Their appearance has become so noticeable that one economic writer wonders if cupcakeries are the bulk of a bubble that's waiting to pop; he questions the durability of the boom, the relative expense of cupcakes, and fears it's a reactionary trend without staying power. What do you think - is there a cupcake bubble?

Source: Flickr User Darwin Bell

15 Store Brand Items That Taste Just as Good

SavvySugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:30:03 -0700

As a creature of habit, you might find it difficult to branch out of the brands you're used to buying. We all want to spend less at the grocery store without sacrificing flavor, and Consumer Reports saved us all a whole lot of time by taste-testing a slew of supermarket and name brand items. In a few cases the name brand was declared tastier, but the majority of tests either ended in a tie or with the store brand as the winner. Check out 15 items that have the Consumer Reports taste stamp of approval.

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How Money Are You: Trip to the Grocery Store, Ralph's

SavvySugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 06:30:45 -0700

It's hard not to like a supermarket that has its own stack of Jelly Belly bins. Ralph's (operated by Kroger) has some issues with organization that can be a little frustrating, but my local store is always clean and you can count on stocked shelves. Can you guess what I spent on some items during a recent shopping trip? Take the quiz!

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Ask Savvy: How Do I Tell My Co-Worker Her Lunch Stinks?

SavvySugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:34:38 -0700

Dear Savvy,
I work in a small office with four other people. I am lucky in many ways - they are smart, funny, and friendly. We coexist well, and three of us usually grab lunch together or send one person out for takeout. Our fourth co-worker is a nice woman, but she is the quiet loner of the group who doesn't partake in our lunch missions. In fact, she brings in strange, saucy food everyday, heats it up in the kitchen right near our workspace, and eats it at her desk. It stinks. And I'm not talking about a faint scent of food that passes in 10 minutes. I'm talking about really, really smelly grub. My most outspoken co-worker has asked her to open the window on occasion, but she seems totally oblivious that the rest of us are suffering. How can I tell her that her lunch makes us sick without offending her?
Thanks,
Sensitive to Scents Sally

Savvy says: Smelly lunches at the office are no laughing matter and a very common problem. PartySugar has tackled this phenomenon before and says bringing stinky food is a major breach of office etiquette. I agree with her. Most SavvySugar readers admit they judge their co-workers by their lunch smells or have been bothered by a co-worker's food before. You don't want to resent this woman because of her lunch. To see what I think you should say, read more.

If you worked at a larger office, I would suggest talking to HR and having them do the dirty work for you by sending out a blanket email about shared space, eating in the kitchen, and making sure to open windows midday for proper ventilation. Given your office size, it sounds like you will need to take matters into your own hands. Start by mentioning "it smells like food" a few times and asking if you can open the window. If you do this throughout the week she'll catch on and be more conscious about her lunch. If she doesn't change her habits immediately, talk to her and be completely honest. Tell her you appreciate that she wants to eat in the office so she can push through work, but you have a queasy stomach and any fancy food scents upset you. Ask her if she wants to eat outside on a park bench with you (the breeze will blow it away). Focus on your sensitive nose and stomach and not her strange food and she won't be offended.

It's likely that she will alter the food she brings in or become more conscious about her lunch once she realizes it is bothering you, but if things don't improve you may just have to make it work. After all, she may think your food is disgusting too. You can always use the half hour it takes for the smell to dissipate to grab your lunch or take a walk around the block. Like it or not, you will be sharing space with your co-workers so long as you work together, so you just have to bear the scents.

Cost of Cooking Classes Paying Off For At-Home Cooks

SavvySugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:15:45 -0700

We tend to think about taking classes to further our careers, but some people are convinced that cooking classes are a great way to better their cooking skills at home. Those who aren't close to being Julie or Julia might consider investing in classes that teach important basics and instill a greater sense of confidence in the kitchen.

People determined to cut down on dining expenses are paying for classes to teach them beginner skills like how to saute salmon. Culinary Institute of America spokesperson Jay Blotcher explained, "People take these classes as a reaction to the recession. The boot camps help people make better food shopping choices and encourage them to prepare meals more often at home."

I can see how these classes could inspire beginners to make cooking a part of their daily lives. Do you think an improvement in your cooking skills would encourage you to dine at home more often?

I'm Asking: What's the Most You've Spent on a Meal Out?

SavvySugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:00:02 -0700

An expensive meal is pretty subjective. One person's $20 meal might be a stretch, someone else's $80 meal could be no biggie, while another eater's $200 meal is a weekly occurrence. What's the most you've ever spent on a meal out?